Restoring the Gulf of Mexico
Building a resilient Gulf Coast for birds and people
Building a resilient Gulf Coast for birds and people
Roseate Spoonbills, American White Pelicans, Willets. Photo: Shane Conklin/Great Backyard Bird Count
The region is home to a vast array of bird species and other wildlife, including 11 of Audubon’s flagship species as well as six Audubon priority species. These species use the Gulf at some point during their life cycles, for breeding, overwintering or as a migratory stopover. These species represent at least 300 other species and the ecosystem on which they depend.
Audubon is committed to restoring the Gulf of Mexico by focusing on priority habitats for these and other species, from Texas to Florida and out to the open ocean. The challenges facing the wildlife and human communities in the Gulf have been, and will continue to be, significant. For that reason, Audubon is working to monitor the health of birds and the places they need in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.
Through sound science, policy leadership, and habitat conservation and restoration, Audubon and our partners are protecting and revitalizing ecosystems battered by natural and human-made disasters, and advancing measures to protect birds in the face of overdevelopment, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and other climate change impacts. Now, with unprecedented funding available for Gulf restoration and a greater need for effective conservation, we’re implementing four strategies to protect, enhance, and rebuild bird habitat:
To make our coastal communities stronger and to protect habitat vital for birds and other wildlife, Audubon is recommending an investment of more than $1.7 billion dollars across the 5 Gulf states and regionally to fund a suite of 30 projects that are crucial to help the region’s birds recover.
Audubon scientists identified over 8 million acres of suitable habitat for priority bird species across the Gulf that should be prioritized for restoration and conservation. These habitats include barrier and bay islands, headland beaches, intertidal bars and flats, and saltwater marshes and range from south Texas to the Florida panhandle.
Birds in Alabama and Louisiana will benefit from a new $158 million investment to restore wetlands.
Funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are flowing into the state, financing unprecedented restoration work along its beleaguered coast—just in the nick of time.
The hurricane's storm surge created optimal nesting habitat for Snowy Plovers and other beach birds, newly released data show.
4 state or coastal offices
71 chapters
118,000 members
94 staff
19 nature centers and sanctuaries
5 states participating in coastal stewardship programs
641 coastal stewardship and Audubon coastal bird survey sites
Black Skimmers. Photo: Bob Howdeshell/Great Backyard Bird Count
Two-thirds of North American bird species are at risk of extinction from climate change. Urge Congress to act now.
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